Mariappa Guides Reggae Boys Into Final Four

20 July 2015

Eagles defender Adrian Mariappa assisted the only goal of the game as Jamaica beat Haiti 1-0 to reach the CONCACAF Gold Cup semi-finals.

The right-back made his telling contribution in the sixth minute on Saturday when he raced past the Haiti backline, controlled the ball and pulled it back for Giles Barnes to slide the ball home from a tight angle in what proved the be the contest's crucial moment.

Mariappa and his defensive colleagues then managed to keep their opponents at bay and register their third straight clean sheet to set up a semi-final against hosts USA in Atlanta on Wednesday night.

The States qualified for the semi-finals in style by thrashing Cuba 6-0 in the quarter-finals with Clint Dempsey netting a hat-trick, and the winners of their game with the Reggae Boyz will challenge Panama or Mexico in the tournament's final on Sunday.